Many overseas Vietnamese singers have returned to perform in HCM City during Lunar New Year Festival (Tet).

The evenings are an exciting time for local singers now that live shows occur more often on the large stage. But overseas Vietnamese singers prefer smaller venues like bars, hotels and nightclubs.

“I hope my performances will serve my friends and fans who can share my love and passion for my music,” says singer Le Thu, who is returning home from the United States after 30 years.

In first days of the festival week, Le Thu will regale local audiences at Van Nghe, a popular nightclub in Binh Thanh District’s Lam Son Street.

She will perform romantic songs written by some of the most notable composers of the 1930s and 1940s.

Thu will also participate in a talk show called Suc Song Moi on Vietnam Television (VTV1), a TV programme which offers entertainment programmes specifically targeting young women.

Thu’s colleagues, including Duc Huy, Duy Quang and Thai Chau, also often perform at hotels and bars throughout the city, attracting a significant number of fans.

“This Tet I plan to perform in Hanoi, Phan Thiet and HCM City. I want to enjoy the different tastes of Tet,” says singer and composer Duc Huy, who began his music career in 1963 and is popular with audiences, both young and old.

“I feel my youth comes back to me through my shows at home during Tet,” he says.

In the first days of the Lunar New Year, Lynda Trang Dai and her partner, Tommy Ngo, will light up the Trong Dong Stage on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street by performing pop and dance music. Later the couple will tour southern provinces.

“The best state for a singer is anywhere in their homeland with an audience. We’re happy to see Vietnam is developing more every year,” says Lynda Trang Dai.

Unlike her peers, Ai Van began her Tet tour in Kien Giang Province last week. She will visit HCM City on New Year’s Eve, performing her folk songs at the September 23 Park in District 1.

“I don’t sing to thousands of people here, but I feel like I’m singing for my best friends with whom I can share my joy and sadness,” Ai Van says.

Le Ngoc Cuong, head of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Art and Performance Department, says, in recent years, increasing numbers of overseas Vietnamese artists have been invited to perform in Vietnam. Their shows play a role in the local industry’s development, he adds.